New Acadia
New Acadia (French: Nouvelle-Acadie, Long Form: La République de la Nouvelle Acadie) is an island nation that participates in the Nation Song Contest, debuting in version 52. Etymology The name "New Acadia" comes from the historical region of Acadia, the English name for the former French colonial region in northeastern North America, which is today typically referred to as The Maritimes, the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, along with the American state of Maine. History The story of the Acadians is unique, in that they are a historically peaceful and tolerant people who share a rich culture and a special bond. The settlement of Port-Royal (present day Annapolis Royal) in 1607 was originally founded by the Acadians, and is the oldest continuous European settlement to ever have been founded in North America. Their early history was that of subsistence and harmony, developing bonds with the local aboriginal tribe, the Mi'kmaqs and learned their hunting and fishing techniques. Their location, though, was on the frontier of a power struggle between French and British territories. Their land was repeatedly ceded between nations, and the Acadians learned to live productively through neutrality and refused to choose sides. This led to their nickname 'the French neutrals.' After the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, the Acadian territory (minus Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia) was permanently ceded to the British. Thus, the Acadians were forced to sign an oath of allegiance to the Crown. In a trade for their loyalty, they stipulated that they would remain neutral in conflict against the French and Aboriginals. In the mid 18th century, with the British and French conflicting again, the Crown demanded the Acadians take an absolute oath of allegiance to the British, meaning they would have to take arms against their French neighbours and family. Not wanting to turn against their family in French territory, along with believing their allegiance would compromise their religious beliefs, they refused. In response to their insistence on neutrality, the British Colonel Charles Lawrence ordered the mass deportation of the Acadians. In what was known as "Le Grand Dérangement" (The Great Expulsion), over 14 000 Acadians were removed from their territory, with their homes burned and lands confiscated. Modern History and Culture The land that is today known as New Acadia is historically neutral, and the New Acadian population are a welcoming group of people. In the west, there are large populations of Swedish, Russian, Ukrainians, and Serbians, who are often allowed to create their own local laws in towns where they constitute a majority of the population. There are also schools which cater to these minorities. New Acadia is the pinnacle of the modern Acadian movement, where Cajuns and Acadians alike went searching for a new land in which they could lead and enjoy a life of freedom, tolerance, and prosperity. Native New Acadians live peacefully with minorities in the country, and New Acadians are consistently ranked as the happiest people in the world. Provinces and Geography There are seven provinces in New Acadia, and although they are part of one country, they each have a distinct and unique culture. Brès Brès, which comes from the Old French word for 'cradle,' is the southernmost region in New Acadia, which is also home to the largest immigrant populations on the island, especially the southwestern portion. This is probably thanks to Port-de-Personnes, where all immigrants must dock before they are accepted as new citizens. Port-de-Personnes (city) Port-de-Personnes (literally Harbour of People), is New Acadia's, and possibly the world's, most ethnically diverse city. All people who seek migrant status in New Acadia first pass through Port-de-Personnes. Port-de-Peronnes' population of 122 867 is the largest in western New Acadia and third largest in the country. The demographics are as follows: Macchabie Macchabie, named for fossils found of an ancient civilization (known in English as Macchabis) that once inhabited the island, is the largest province in New Acadia (size-wise), slightly larger than Côte-Nord - Îles-Royales. It is also the official name of the main island, though locals refer to the island as 'L'Île' (The Island). Little is known about the Macchabian people, other than that they were well adapted to the harsh northern climate that plagues New Acadia, as is evidenced in tools found in escavation. Though the largest and fourth most populated province, it is considerably less in population than that of Brès, Port-Royal, and Narvalie. Today's people who inhabit the province named Macchabie are world-renowned for their energy feats. The energy produced from tidal and wind power not only supply the entire nation with energy, they are able to export mass quantities of their electicity to other nations, especially FSR KOP!JA, Adamsburg, and Xorentia, to name a few. Narvalie Named the Narvalie, this region is well known for two things, Nouvelle-Annapolis, and Narwhals. Narvalie is the most populated province of New Acadia (386 321), and most of the population is centred around Nouvelle-Annapolis, which contains approximately 30% of the country's entire population. Nouvelle-Annapolis (city) Nouvelle-Annapolis is New Acadia's largest city and economic centre (population 304 553). It is the centre of many of the country's businesses are in Nouvelle-Annapolis, and the city was the first settlement that was not in the province of Port-Royal. Nouvelle Annapolis' hockey team, "Les Blizzards" are one of the fiercest in the LNHNA (Ligue Nationale de Hockey de la Nouvelle-Acadie), winning 23 of championships out of 40 seasons of the league. Their fiercest rival, Port-Royal's team, "Les Nordiques" (The Northerners), have, by comparison, only won ten times. Les Blizzards have also competed internationally, and are one of the most successful international teams of all time. Narwhals Narwhal tours are a major source of income for the province, and the region is also named for the legendary whale. The Macchabis people who lived in the region before the New Acadians hunted these beasts, and was an important part of their diet. Narwhals are mysterious whales, who have a horn that pierce through their head. Little is known about them, and they are a protected species by the Narval Conservation Act of 2003. Port-Royal (Province de la Capitale Nationale) The province of Port-Royal is known for several reasons. Not only is it the province that holds the capital, it also is the province with the legendary Mount Nagol, and is the site of the oldest New Acadian settlement. Mount Nagol Mount Nagol is an important part of New Acadian history. According to legend, the first New Acadian settlers from the continent followed the mountain from their boats, through dangerous waters, and settled near the mountain. The first settlement of New Acadia, Saint-Luc, is located just east of the mountain. There is a replica of the old town, for tourism interests, and a bustling underground market in the town. Port-Royal (city) Port-Royal is the cultural and national capital of the country. Known for it's chic boutiques, modern restaurants, unique fashion, centre of government, and historical importance, Port-Royal has something for everything. As the primary city in the province (the province is, of course, named for the city), it has a population of approximately 225 000, making it the second biggest city in the country. Côte-Nord - Îles-Royales The region known as Côte-Nord - Îles-Royales (Northern Coast - Royal Islands) are the northernmost reaches of New Acadia. There are few people who live in this province, and is sixth in total population (only Îles-de-la-Mer contains less people) Îles-de-la-Mer Îles-de-la-Mer, the least populated province, is a sparsely scattered collections of islands contained in the New Acadian Sea (Mer Nouvelle Acadie). The most known island is probably Île-Bleu, the settlement of Serbo-Croatians who live in the country. They are a self-governing group of people, and are often left to their own culture. Approximately 100 New Acadians live on the island, versus the nearly 9 500 Serbo-Croatians (including those born in New Acadia). The main village on Île-Bleu is Zagrade. There are nearly 100 islands in this province, though less than ten are actually inhabited. This is probably due to the harsh wind that is nearly always blowing in the New Acadian Sea. Île-Saint-Jean Île-Saint-Jean is the furthest reaching island in all of New Acadia, and is in itself a province. Despite it's far away location and extremely harsh weather (in winter it is regularly -50C) more people live on the island than do in Côte-Nord - Îles-Royales or Îles-de-la-Mer. This is probably due to the presence of Université Sainte-Anne, the largest private university in New Acadia, known for their ocean studies programmes. Demographics There are 996 231 people living in New Acadia, according to the 2010 census. The majority, 87%, are of Acadian and Cajun descent. In the south and west (namely in Brès, especially Port-de-Personnes and surrounding areas), many towns also comprise of large Swedish (6.7%) and Russian (5.2%) minorities. On Île-Bleu, there is a substantial presence of Serbo-Croatians, compromising 99.4% of the total Serbo-Croatian presence in the nation. * Note: Cajuns and Acadians are historically the same people. Cajuns are those people who, after Le Grand Dérangement, resettled to the American state of Louisiana. Population by province: Languages The official languages of New Acadia are English and French, although Swedish and Russian are accepted minority languages in Brès, and Serbian is an accepted minority language in Îles-de-la-Mer. French and English are compulsory for all students from primary school until secondary graduation. Thus, 90-95% New Acadians are bilingual in French and English. The status of both official languages are important in the culture of New Acadia. All laws, along with sessions of Parliament, are written and conducted entirely in French, and translated into English. Flag The flag of New Acadia holds special importance to the people of the country. The mountain is Mount Nagol, which holds a special significance in the region. Not only is it the largest mountain in the region, but according to legend, the first New Acadian settlers followed the peak of the mountain from their boats for two weeks, through dangerous waters, to this promising land. The seven stripes on the flag represent the seven provinces (regions) in the country. The red stripe running vertically represents the bond to their original Canadian homeland. In the Nation Song Contest The New Acadian broadcasters have agreed to rotate entries between the French and English languages. Radio-Acadia, the French broadcaster, is in charge of choosing entries for odd-numbered editions, while NABC, the English broadcaster, is in charge of even-numbered editions. New Acadia has awarded the most points to: New Acadia has received the most points from: